You can start the compound commands in the data model administrator either from the industry model or from the feature class level. See Exploring Data Model Administrator.
Convert to a Compound
You can convert a line string or polygon feature class into a compound feature class. The existing line string or polygon feature class is the parent feature class and a new child feature class is created. All attributes of the existing parent class are maintained.
Data Model: Converting a feature class to a Compound.
Eliminate a Compound
You can convert a compound feature class into a line string or polygon feature class. The parent feature class persists, but the child feature class (single segment) and all subordinate feature classes are dropped.
Build Compounds
You can build compounds to combine the data of two related feature classes. This can be useful if you are migrating data from a foreign system. Example:
You can build a compound by combining the following:
- Parent feature class with all attribute data, but no geometry.
- Child feature class with a relation to parent feature class, no attribute data, but with geometry, such as line strings.
You use the Build Compound command to save the line string geometry of the related children for each parent and thus build a compound polygon feature class.